The Coffee Challenge
by WeBuiltThePyramids
Summary: Penny has a question, and the only one around is Raj. I don't own anything...wish I did, but don't we all...


Penny was out of coffee. Again. She'd had the last bit the previous day and had been too lazy to go and get some more. Even now she felt too indolent to go across the hall and get some, or even to move from where she was, lying on the couch with her eyes closed. Yet she really wanted that coffee. Pulling out her cell phone, she pressed and held the number one to speed-dial Leonard.

"Pick up, pick up…" She was lying on her back with a hand over her eyes to block out the sun. the phone kept ringing. When it went to voicemail, she tried the home phone with the same result. "Dang," she groaned, getting up and ambling across the hall to find the door locked. Go figure. She returned to her apartment for her key. Since that awful night Sheldon had gotten locked out of she'd made an extra effort to keep the spare readily at hand. Locating it quickly, she returned to apartment 4A.

It was empty. The laptops were shut down and the desks were neatly organized. Leonard's cell phone was on the coffee table next to the three-dimensional chess set. No wonder he hadn't picked up, she thought as she headed to the kitchen. Of course, no coffee. Of course! When would something go right? Penny wondered if Mrs. Vartabedian would have some. According to Leonard, she was very nice. Of course, according to Leonard, the occupants of the apartment building walked around in their underwear…"very casual, no dress code…" Sighing, she looked over at Leonard's phone. Where was he, anyway?

She jumped when the door opened behind her. "Oh. Hey, Raj, what's going on?" Her standard greeting danced off her tongue. He smiled, his typical salutation, as he held a box of action figures. He set them on the coffee table; put his hands in his pockets, and looks around casually.

In terms of having someone to talk to, Penny would rather have anyone but him in the room with her. Would he ever just get over his shyness and talk to her. She decided to give it a shot. "Hey. Do you know where Leonard is?" He nodded. "Where is he?" At this more direct question Raj assumed a look of panic and looked around for something to write with.

"No." Penny's firm tone stopped him. She folded her arms. A similar scenario had played out before between them, and if he could do it once, he could do it again. But she didn't want to intimidate him, so she forced her face to look tranquil. "Okay," Penny said, motioning for him to sit down. He sank into Sheldon's spot and watched as she settled into Leonard's chair. "Okay." She spoke slowly, knowing that there was no translator this time, no one to listen to Raj's whispers and tell her what he'd said. This time, it was just her and him, and although the information Penny was trying to obtain was not crucial in any way, she wanted to know it anyway. "I may be a woman, Raj, but we are friends." Raj dropped his gaze, staring at his old, scruffy shoes. "We _are_ friends, aren't we, Raj?" He nodded quickly.

She patiently continued. "Raj, sweetie, I'm one of you guys now. I'm under the Three-Strike Rule. I play Mystic Warlords of Ka-a, for crying out loud." That made Raj smile and glance quickly at her. "You _can_ talk to me, Raj. You have before. Now, I'm not asking you to tell me the story of your life or anything personal. I just want to know. Where's Leonard?" She smiled encouragingly at him.

Raj closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, toying with his hands. Penny waited. After a moment he looked her in the eye, smiled, and _spoke_, actually spoke to her, in a calm clear tone that was not the squeak of last time. "He went to get coffee, since he's out and knew you were, too."

Penny leaned forward and to the right to give him a quick hug. "Thanks." Patting his arm, she rose and took her still empty cup back across the hall. As she was reaching to open her door, she heard a voice behind her. "Hey."

"Hey, Leonard, I see you're back from your coffee run." She crossed the hall and kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"Yes. I got some for you…" He furrowed his brow. "How did you know where I was going? Is Sheldon home yet?"

"No," Penny was smiling broadly. "Raj told me."


End file.
